Saturday, August 6, 2016

Zhi Xiang Special Lor Mee : with Fried Shredded Yam

This is probably the only stall that is serving their Lor Mee with fried shredded yam and that is why they called it the Special Lor Mee. That is also the only item on their menu, the smaller portion at $3 and the larger portion at $4. This is amongst one of those popular stalls in this food centre and is operated by a middle-aged couple.

I ordered from the Aunty and i told her that, 'My friend recommended your Lor Mee and he said, it is very nice.' I ordered the $4 portion and requested for extra chilli and garlic paste to be added. The Aunty pointed to those condiments that are placed at the front, saying, 'You can help yourself to those.' I continued to say, 'Your Lor Mee has those fried shredded yam which is different from other stall.' She smiled and asked, 'You want it with leaner or fatter braised meat?' Then, she asked, 'So, you want extra chill and garlic paste, how about vinegar?' I replied cheekily, 'Just a bit, 我不吃醋 '. I was trying to tell her that i am not a jealous person but she did not seem to get it or maybe i just did not sound too funny when saying that. She placed everything on the tray and handed it to me. And, she said, 'Thank you.'

They actually made an effort to separate the fried shredded yam by placing it in a small bowl for the $4 portion that i ordered. It came with a substantial portion of yellow flat noodles with ngor hiang, fishcake and braised meat. Unlike the usual fried fish nuggets, fried shredded yam is rather special and its crispiness has actually added a crunchy texture.

It was quite a fun thing to do when you tried to break the fried shredded yam into smaller pieces and have it mixed well with chilli and garlic paste as well as the noodles and other ingredients before eating it.

Perhaps my expectation was a bit too high as the actual taste did not quite match up to it. The addition of those fried shredded yam has differentiate it from other Lor Mee out there and added a special factor but if without it, this would be just a bowl of rather mediocre Lor Mee. The spiciness of chilli has added a certain punch to bring forth its flavor. The gravy was not too starchy nor too thick but flavorful and went well with the noodles and ingredients.

It is not too bad but not worth the effort to travel all the way here just to eat it but it is a worth a try, if you happen to be in this food centre and wanting something different.